SATELLITE BUD TRIMMER

COMPLETE ASSEMBLY, OPERATION, CLEANING & MAINTENANCE GUIDE

The EZ Trim Satellite Bud Trimmer is designed for commercial wet and dry cannabis trimming with operator control over airflow, suction, product movement, agitation, rotor speed and direction, blade position, and trim-cycle time.

For consistent results, three factors are especially important:

Proper Preparation → Consistent Dryness → Friction Control

Different cultivars, flower densities, moisture conditions, and finished-product standards may require different settings. Establish the process with a test batch before beginning full production.

PART 1 — INITIAL ASSEMBLY & SETUP

1. INSPECT THE SHIPMENT

Before unpacking the Satellite, inspect the pallet and shipping box for visible damage.

If shipping damage is present, document it according to the carrier's delivery procedures before proceeding.

Remove the plastic wrapping and banding and unpack the components.

The shipment includes the primary machine components along with items such as:

• 
  Satellite drum assembly
  
• 
  Stand
  
• 
  Chute
  
• 
  Chute sock
  
• 
  Filtration/collection bags
  
• 
  Drum knobs
  
• 
  Maintenance kit
  
• 
  Cutting-blade felt pads
  
• 
  Allen keys
  
• 
  Spare control-box fuse
  
• 
  Quality-control checklist
  

Verify that the necessary components are present before assembly.

2. INSTALL THE DRUM ON THE STAND

Lock the casters on the stand.

Position the stand so it rests on the drum-side mounts as demonstrated in the Satellite assembly procedure.

Insert the drum knobs into the drum-side mounts and thread them in several turns, but leave them loose enough for the drum to rotate into position.

Disengage the plunge pins and carefully bring the unit upright.

Once upright:

Unlock the casters as appropriate for positioning.

Tighten the drum knobs.

Reengage the plunge pins.

Remove the protective plastic from the top and bottom surfaces of the lid assembly.

3. CONNECT THE MACHINE

Connect the jumper cable from the main motor to the control box.

Connect the machine to the appropriate power source.

Before trimming, the cutting blade must be properly positioned beneath the grate.

PART 2 — CUTTING-BLADE ADJUSTMENT

4. DIAL IN THE CUTTING BLADE

Proper blade position allows stems, crow's feet, hooks, and leaves that reach the cutting system to be cut while preventing continuous blade contact with the grate.

With the machine assembled, switch on the main motor.

Using the blade-height adjustment knobs underneath the drum:

1. 
   Turn the front adjustment knobs a couple of turns.
   
2. 
   Turn the rear adjustment knobs a couple of turns.
   
3. 
   Continue alternating front and rear adjustments to raise the blade evenly.
   
4. 
   Raise the blade until you hear it make slight contact with the underside of the grate.
   
5. 
   At the location where contact occurs, back the adjustment down approximately ¼ to 1 full turn until contact stops.
   
6. 
   Repeat the process several times around the machine.
   

The purpose of alternating the adjustments is to keep the blade true rather than cockeyed relative to the grate.

Open and close the inner lids while checking the blade. Changes in airflow can affect blade position, so verify that the blade does not rub the grate with the inner lids either open or closed.

Once adjusted, turn the machine off and inspect the clearance around the circumference of the grate.

Target Blade Clearance

The cutting blade should be approximately:

1/16 inch to 1/8 inch below the grate

The closer the blade can safely operate to the grate without rubbing, the better positioned it is to cut stems, crow's feet, hooks, and leaves that reach the cutting system.

Never operate the Satellite with the cutting blade continuously rubbing against the grate.

PART 3 — FILTRATION & COLLECTION SYSTEM

5. INSTALL THE FILTRATION BAGS

The Satellite uses four numbered filtration/collection bags with different filtration levels.

Rotate the drum as needed for installation.

Beginning with Bag #1, stretch the elastic opening around the outside of the drum above the link-lock latches.

Install each remaining bag in numerical order.

Install the bags with the hem facing outward. This helps prevent trim from accumulating inside the hem and makes cleaning easier.

Stair-Step the Bags

Layer the bags so each successive bag sits slightly lower than the previous one.

This stair-step arrangement helps prevent material from spilling from one filtration stage into another during bag removal.

After all four bags are installed, fasten the Velcro retaining strap.

If you do not need to classify trim through all four filtration levels, the operating procedure allows Bags #3 and #4 to be used so the primary trim material collects in Bag #3.

6. INSTALL THE CHUTE AND CHUTE SOCK

Align the chute tabs with the channels/rails on the front of the drum.

Slide the chute completely into position.

Open the chute gate.

Slide the chute sock over the lower portion of the chute and tighten its drawstring.

Place an appropriate collection tote—or EZ Cure when used as part of your workflow—under the chute sock.

The Satellite is now ready for operating setup.

PART 4 — PREPARING FLOWER FOR DRY TRIMMING

7. PROPER FLOWER PREPARATION

For dry trimming, proper preparation is critical.

Before flower enters the Satellite:

Defoliate the plant.

Remove fan leaves that have exposed stems.

Individualize the buds.

Separate connected flower into individual buds.

Remove excess stem.

The Satellite operating procedure recommends no more than approximately ¼ inch of stem at the base of the bud.

Stem remaining at the base can retain moisture and may not break away through friction, increasing the amount of manual touch-up required later.

The better the flower is prepared before trimming, the less corrective work should be necessary afterward.

PART 5 — EQUALIZING DRYNESS

8. CREATE CONSISTENT DRYNESS BEFORE DRY TRIMMING

Consistent dryness helps produce consistent trimming.

Small buds and large buds do not necessarily dry at the same rate. Flower from different locations on a plant or within a dry room can also reach different moisture conditions.

The Satellite operating procedure recommends bucking the flower while a small amount of moisture remains and allowing the individualized buds to equalize in dryness before trimming.

Historically, this was called “pre-curing” in the Satellite instructional video. We now use the more accurate term:

Equalizing Dryness

The objective is to allow moisture differences within the batch to redistribute so small and large flower reach a more consistent trim-ready condition.

This can be performed with an appropriately managed tote system or with EZ Cure, which can manage drying and air exchange according to programmed humidity and time parameters.

EZ Cure: /pages/ez-cure

9. RH IS A MARKER — NOT THE FINAL TEST

The Satellite instructional procedure identifies approximately 50–60% RH after equalization as a useful marker and references a trim-room environment around 40% RH.

Treat those figures as operating reference points rather than universal trim-readiness requirements.

Different cultivars and flower structures can behave differently at similar RH readings.

The final decision should be based on the physical behavior of representative flower.

PART 6 — FINGER TEST / TRIM READINESS

10. PERFORM THE FINGER TEST

Before dry trimming, select representative small, medium, and large buds.

Disturb the unwanted leaves gently with your fingers.

PASS

The leaves should:

Feel dry and brittle

Snap rather than bend

Release when disturbed

You can also gently rub two buds together to simulate some of the friction created during trimming.

If the unwanted leaf readily breaks away, the flower is approaching an appropriate dry-trim condition.

FAIL

If the unwanted leaf:

Bends

Folds

Feels pliable

Remains attached when gently rubbed

the flower may need additional drying or equalization.

The Satellite relies heavily on controlled friction during dry trimming. If a leaf will not separate under light physical friction, simply increasing machine time may not solve the underlying moisture problem.

PART 7 — UNDERSTANDING AIRFLOW & SUCTION

11. HOW THE AIR SYSTEM WORKS

The Satellite has a fan blade directly below the cutting blade.

The fan creates the airflow and suction used to move flower and present unwanted plant material to the trimming system.

The operator controls this using:

The two inner lids

The airflow controller

These controls affect the balance between airflow and suction.

Inner Lids

According to the Satellite operating procedure:

Opening one or both inner lids increases suction and decreases airflow through the drum.

This can be useful for slowing the movement of dry or delicate flower.

Closing the inner lids increases the airflow available to move wet, dense, or heavier flower.

Airflow Controller

The airflow controller props open the rear inner lid and allows finer adjustment of airflow and suction.

Proper adjustment is achieved when the air predominantly moves the flower around the grate while the silicone fingers roll and separate it.

The goal is controlled product movement—not excessive mechanical agitation.

PART 8 — ROTOR FINGERS & FRICTION CONTROL

12. CONTROL PRODUCT MOVEMENT WITH THE SILICONE FINGERS

The rotating soft silicone fingers help:

Separate the flower

Roll the flower

Maintain movement across the grate

Both speed and direction are adjustable.

Lower Finger Speed

Lower speed reduces agitation and can be useful for delicate flower.

Higher Finger Speed

Higher speed increases mechanical interaction and can be useful for flower requiring additional agitation.

Forward Direction

The operating procedure generally recommends beginning in Forward at a moderately high/high setting and adjusting from there.

Reverse Direction

Reverse turns the fingers against the primary airflow direction, creating additional agitation and potentially shortening the trim cycle for flower that requires more mechanical interaction.

Wet flower and some dry cultivars may require more agitation than others.

The objective is to balance:

Air movement + Finger movement + Friction

so the flower is moved primarily by airflow and rolled/separated by the fingers.

PART 9 — TEST BATCH & PRODUCTION TRIMMING

13. START WITH APPROXIMATELY ONE POUND

Turn on the main motor.

Set the rotor fingers initially to Forward and select an appropriate starting speed.

Use a container holding approximately 1 pound of flower.

Load the entire batch into the machine at one time.

Do not slowly feed the batch one handful at a time.

If flower is introduced gradually, the first portion can receive substantially more trim time than the final portion, producing inconsistent results within the same batch.

14. ADJUST AIRFLOW TO THE FLOWER

Observe how the flower moves.

For popcorn buds or lighter/delicate cultivars, you may need to operate with one or both inner lids open to increase suction and slow movement.

For dense or heavier flower, both inner lids may need to remain closed to provide stronger airflow and movement.

Adjust:

Inner-lid position

Airflow controller

Rotor speed

Rotor direction

until you find the combination appropriate for that cultivar and flower condition.

15. CONTROL THE TRIM CYCLE

A typical starting trim cycle in the Satellite instructional procedure is approximately:

30–60 seconds

Watch the flower during the entire cycle.

The Satellite allows the operator to visually evaluate the product while it trims rather than waiting until the flower exits the machine.

Stop when the desired result has been reached.

Different cultivars and batches can require different cycle times.

Do not overtrim simply because a predetermined amount of time has not elapsed.

For dry trimming, if properly prepared flower is still requiring substantially more than the normal test cycle to remove unwanted leaf, reassess trim readiness, equalized dryness, airflow, and agitation before simply extending machine time.

PART 10 — DISCHARGING THE FLOWER

16. EMPTY THE DRUM

When trimming is complete:

1. 
   Tilt the drum downward.
   
2. 
   Open the drum gate.
   
3. 
   Run the rotor fingers in Forward.
   
4. 
   Allow the flower to exit through the chute and chute sock into the collection tote.
   

Opening and closing the rear inner lid can also help control discharge speed.

Once the drum is empty:

Close the drum gate.

Return the drum upright.

Load the next batch.

Continue inspecting finished flower periodically throughout production.

PART 11 — QUALITY CONTROL

17. EVALUATE TOUCH-UP

After trimming, inspect the flower before automatically sending the entire batch to hand finishing.

The original Satellite operating procedure establishes a process objective of less than approximately 30% of buds requiring touch-up, and identifies touch-up exceeding approximately 50% as a reason to reevaluate preparation and/or dryness.

These percentages should be treated as process benchmarks, not guaranteed results.

If touch-up is excessive, evaluate:

Defoliation

Bud individualization

Remaining stem

Equalized dryness

Finger Test results

Airflow/suction

Finger speed and direction

Batch size

Trim time

The objective is to correct the cause rather than automatically adding more hand labor.

PART 12 — FILTRATION BAG MANAGEMENT

18. EMPTY THE BAGS PERIODICALLY

Do not allow the filtration bags to become excessively full.

Overfilled or clogged bags can reduce airflow and cause material to blow back through the drum. Fine material/kief can also pass through the final filtration stage and escape onto the floor.

To empty a bag:

1. 
   Carefully remove it.
   
2. 
   Place it inside an appropriate collection container.
   
3. 
   Empty the material.
   
4. 
   Remove remaining trim or kief by gently rubbing the bag material together or using an appropriate brush.
   

During production, a wet/dry vacuum can be used as a fast method for periodically cleaning the filtration bags.

PART 13 — DEEP CLEANING

19. PREPARE THE SATELLITE FOR CLEANING

Disconnect power before disassembly and cleaning.

Rotate the drum approximately 180 degrees as required for service and secure it with the drum knobs.

Release the four link-lock/butterfly latches and remove the motor assembly.

20. REMOVE THE CUTTING SYSTEM

Loosen and remove the three screws securing the cutting blade.

Remove the cutting blade.

Loosen the two set screws on the cutting-blade hub and slide the hub from the motor shaft.

Remove the three screws securing the fan blade and slide the fan blade from its hub.

Leave the fan-blade hub attached to the motor shaft.

Remove the motor cover and loosen the adjustment-bracket knobs.

21. WASH THE COMPONENTS

The Satellite cleaning procedure uses a pressure washer/hot-water pressure washer and Heavy-Duty Simple Green for the primary washable components.

Apply cleaner and allow it to soak for several minutes as appropriate.

Thoroughly rinse:

Cutting blade

Rotor assembly

Fan blade

Drum gate

Drum

Stand

The more thoroughly the machine is cleaned after use, the easier subsequent cleaning tends to be.

Important Lid-Cleaning Precaution

For the polycarbonate lid assembly, use only the cleaning agents approved in the Satellite procedure:

Heavy-Duty Simple Green

Isopropyl alcohol

Denatured alcohol

Other cleaners may fog or damage the polycarbonate.

Clean both the top and bottom of the lid assembly carefully.

PART 14 — CLEANING THE FILTRATION BAGS

22. PRESSURE-WASH THE BAGS

Drape the filtration bags around the outside of the drum for cleaning.

Apply the approved cleaner and rinse thoroughly with the pressure washer.

Repeat for all four bags.

When necessary, turn the bags inside out and clean both sides.

Hang the bags until completely dry before storage or reinstallation.

PART 15 — DRYING & MOTOR MAINTENANCE

23. DRY THE MOTOR AREA

Using compressed air and an appropriate air nozzle, blow moisture from the motor assembly and motor cover.

Remove the junction-box lid and use a clean paper towel to verify that no moisture has accumulated inside.

Replace the junction-box lid carefully.

Do not overtighten its four screws.

Reinstall the motor cover.

Keep the motor cover clean so airflow to the motor is not restricted and the motor does not overheat.

24. LUBRICATE ADJUSTMENT COMPONENTS

The maintenance procedure recommends lubricating the bolts and adjustment brackets used for blade-height adjustment so future adjustments remain easy.

Adjust the brackets so the bolts are flush with the tops of the adjustment brackets before reassembly.

The procedure also recommends lubricating the two cutting-hub set screws and the hub to make future removal easier.

PART 16 — REASSEMBLY AFTER CLEANING

25. REINSTALL THE FAN BLADE

Before reinstalling the fan blade, verify that the fan-blade hub set screws are tight.

Install the fan blade onto the hub and reinstall its three screws.

26. REINSTALL THE CUTTING-BLADE HUB

The motor shaft contains two dimples corresponding to the two set screws in the cutting-blade hub.

Align the set screws with those dimples.

Slide the hub into position and tighten the set screws so they seat correctly in the dimples.

The motor shaft should sit flush with the top of the cutting-blade hub.

It should not protrude above the hub.

27. INSTALL THE FELT PAD SPACER

Install a felt pad spacer on top of the cutting blade before reinstalling the blade.

This spacer is critical.

It creates separation between the cutting blade and grate and helps prevent the cutting blade from rubbing directly against the underside of the grate.

Always verify that the cutting blade has its felt pad spacer installed before operation.

Secure the cutting blade with its three screws.

Do not overtighten them.

28. REINSTALL THE MOTOR ASSEMBLY

Place the motor assembly back into the drum.

Align the junction box on the motor assembly with the two X marks inside the drum.

Verify that the adjustment bracket sits flush with the drum.

Engage all four link-lock latches.

Rotate the drum upright and secure it.

29. REINSTALL THE DRUM GATE

Position the drum gate in its U-channels.

Press near the center where the screw head is located and seat the gate fully into the channels.

Verify that it moves and seats correctly before operation.

30. REINSTALL THE LID & CONTROL BOX

Fasten the rear draw latches on the lid.

Remove the two control-box thumb screws as needed and reinstall the control box.

Make sure the control box sits flush with the lid plate before tightening the thumb screws.

Rotate the lid approximately 90 degrees upright to access the rotor connection.

31. RECONNECT THE ROTOR

Lubricate the rotor shaft as appropriate.

Align the D-shaped opening in the rotor top plate with the D-shaped motor shaft.

Seat the rotor correctly and reinstall the cotter pin.

Verify that the cotter pin is properly seated.

Rotate the rotor and lid back into operating position and reconnect the four draw latches.

Reconnect the jumper cable from the control box to the main motor.

PART 17 — FINAL BLADE ADJUSTMENT AFTER CLEANING

32. DIAL THE BLADE BACK IN

After reassembly, inspect blade-to-grate clearance around the entire circumference.

Fine-tune the adjustment until the spacing is even.

Then repeat the blade-height adjustment procedure:

Raise front and rear incrementally → allow slight grate contact → back down ¼ to 1 turn → repeat until blade is true.

Open and close the inner lids during this process and confirm that the blade does not rub under either airflow condition.

Turn the unit off and perform a final visual inspection.

Target clearance remains approximately:

1/16 inch to 1/8 inch below the grate

PART 18 — FINAL REASSEMBLY

33. REINSTALL FILTRATION & DISCHARGE COMPONENTS

Reinstall the filtration bags in numerical order with the hems facing outward.

Stair-step the bags and secure the Velcro strap.

Reinstall the chute by sliding it into its track.

Open the chute gate and reinstall the chute sock.

Perform a final inspection before returning the Satellite to production.

SATELLITE DRY-TRIM QUICK CHECKLIST

Before each production run:

□ Fan leaves with exposed stems removed

□ Buds properly individualized

□ No more than approximately ¼ inch of stem at bud base

□ Dryness equalized across representative flower

□ Small, medium and large buds pass the Finger Test

□ Blade approximately 1/16–1/8 inch below grate and not rubbing

□ Filtration bags correctly installed and clean

□ Chute and chute sock installed

□ Approximately 1-pound test batch used to establish settings

□ Airflow/suction adjusted for the flower

□ Rotor speed/direction adjusted for the flower

□ Initial trim cycle observed for approximately 30–60 seconds

□ Finished flower inspected before full production

□ Touch-up percentage monitored as a process KPI

□ Filtration bags emptied/cleaned as needed

SATELLITE OPERATING PRINCIPLE

The key to a quality trim is proper preparation, consistent dryness, and controlled friction.

For dry trimming:

Defoliate → Hang Dry → Buck → Equalize Dryness → Finger Test → Test Batch → Adjust Airflow & Friction → Production Trim → Pre-Sort → Targeted QC

The Satellite provides the operator with control over the machine variables. The condition and preparation of the flower determine how those controls should be used.